Kayak Attack: Whitewater River Running on the Agung

Ride the rapids, skillfully stroke the calm stretches, rest under a waterfall, tell tall tales afterwards...

 Vision Adventure's river runners  Scotty & Dee   

This is not a city adventure for the faint of heart, but it is a safe yet thrilling run down a might river with 33 rapids keeping your boat and head spinning. 

If you're tired of tame rafting in a boat with six others vying for a toe hold and piece of the side rope, then negotiating the river in an inflatable, 2-person kayak with an experienced guide steering from the rear might feed your adrenaline addiction just fine.

Two of us - both former rafting guides – gave the thumbs up to the company and crew of Bali Adventures Tours. They were the first river tour operator to offer whitewater rafting on the Agung, and they are the only company with kayaking on offer. The rafts and kayaks are both high quality boats, and the young male guides, support crew and porters have impressive skills.

So Scotty and Dee set out on a beautiful, sunny day to tackle the Class 2, 3 and 4 rapids on a fast-running 9 km stretch from outside Ubud. Because it was the tail end of the wet season, the river and rapids were fast and fun, and we completed the run in under two hours. We did take breaks to splash the rafters and competitor boats around the spectacular waterfall. Later we stopped to take photos of stone carvings along the shore. Looking up, we saw monkeys and lizards, and some stunning rice terraces high above the gorge. Someone also spotted a snake, but he was in no mood to pose for tourist cameras and left us alone, thankfully.

More experienced, Scotty took the kayak downstream alone, while Dee was happy to ride shotgun with Ketu at the helm. He expertly negotiated every boulder and suck hole, and she took all the water in her face and front of the boat. Bail! Stroke forward! Stroke backwards! Bail!

Scotty loved taking the chutes more than once, He'd go over, paddle back, and do it all over again. His head-mounted action camera kept steaming up, so he only has my testimonial about the truth of this.

Neither of us wanted the day to end. It was a long haul to get there, a long time waiting for the various groups to get geared up, and a difficult 600 steep steps down to the river, but the weather and our guide were wonderful and we'd highly recommend it for those wanting an adventure first, massage second, and memory for ever.

On the Richter Scale: 8 out of 10

Value for fun: Great at any price.

Recommended: Medium to Advanced paddling skills

Also see

Web: http://Vision-Adventures.com

You Tube: Kayak Attack

Facebook: Adventure Photo Album 

XL Vision Villa guests meet USS Liberty wreck dive

A relatively early start to the day, 7:30am as we head off from Vision Villas towards the North. Traveling up past Padang Bai and to Candidasa for a quick coffee stop. If you’re looking for what must be the best presented coffee anywhere on this planet, you’ll find it at no other than Rendezvous Restaurant overlooking the ocean. And yes the coffee itself is sensational, and they know how to make them the REAL way too. It might be a long drive for a coffee, so bring your bathers and hire some snorkeling gear for some of Bali’s clearest, shallow water snorkeling.

We head inland crossing between Mt Agung and Mt Seraya over to the Northern beaches and Tulamben where the USS Liberty shipwreck lies just 30m off the shore straddling the coastline.

With many options of dive and snorkel gear available you’ll not go without if you’re traveling up here on your own. Best is to go with a dive company as they pick you up and drop you off, have trained dive masters and all the facilities to take care of you if anything were to happen.

This is stone beach so it’s great if you’re wearing booties to get in and out, however it’s just a little more care to take if you don’t. We decided that we’d all snorkel as the clarity was pretty good around 10am and with the changing from low to high tide there’ll be plenty of sea life to see buzzing around and feeding. We hear that it’s even better earlier around 8am from a clarity perspective however as you can see from the photo’s it was pretty sensational, maybe next time we’ll leave at 6:30am and give the coffee a miss, naa…

The moment we get waist high we drop into the instantly vibrant and colourful array of fish and sea life, it’s magnificent just 5 meters off the shore… The sea is really quite calm here and even though there is a 5-10knot wind on the surface it certainly isn’t messing with the visibility at all. Cursing out towards the wreck the land drops away quickly from around 15-20meters out and instantly we can see the wreck filling out across us. There are an number of parts jutting right up to just below the surface and we find we can really explore and drop in and out of the vessel.

There are some extraordinary images of fish life and the wreck is covered in all sorts of corals, sponges, sea urchins and much more…

We come across a massive tornado of Jackfish circling around the nose of the wreck and we’re amazed with just how inviting they were to us swimming in and out between them, I just about had them swimming through my arms and legs, it was quite incredible to experience this closeness. There is some much to see and experience out here however I’ll not give it all away, pack your bags and come and see for yourself. This is certainly the most accessible wreck I’ve ever had the pleasure to visit and one of my best water engagements I’ve had period. It’s not the Whitsunday’s / Great Barrier Reef however it’s a very different experience and right up there with the worlds best!

A couple of hours on and we’re packed up and ready to move on. We decide that we’ll drop back into Candidasa for lunch at a favorite place of ours, Vincent’s Jazz Bar and Restaurant. This could be one of the best restaurants in Bali, quite easily…

We’re all a little hungry when we arrive around 1:30pm, too many stops I think on the way back, all good though as the scenery is picturesque. Feeling a little thirsty? Vincent’s has Bintang on TAP or if you’re one for the more boutique style beers then it has my absolute favorite beers in Indonesia, Storm.  If you’ve not come across this beer before, you’ll have to give their entire range a test… From a soft stout, through to a dark, pale ale and ending in a refreshing fruity blend, mmm I’ve enjoyed them all. 

Oops, I’ve gotten sidetracked…

So we’ve ordered a crab seafood creation, the duck, fish of the day and vegetarian Thai curry. All I can say is holy crap, everyone’s dishes are delicious, the one that took, for me, the honors was the freshly caught snapper and the special sauce the chef cooked it in had our mouths watering for more, however we couldn’t eat any more, bugga! Thanks Vincents for a stunning meal and outstanding service, you’ve got our vote for best restaurant on the Island.

We head home whilst flicking through the photographs and discussing the events of the day.  Another fabulous day in Paradise!

I give it:

Off the richter scale: 7 (Swimming inside that tornado of fish was freaky)

Value for money: 8 (If you snorkel it's not much more than a full-day car/bike hire)

Scenery: 9  (An awesome experience)

Cultural: 4 (Other than stopping on the way back for photo's there's not a lot)

Family: 9 (Even the little ones could do this with mum and dad)

Check out our facebook page to see some of the other cool adventures we are getting up to.

A double whammy – Wet and wild adventure ride

We organized probably our biggest day out to date. Kintamani à Elephant Park à White River Rafting.

We woke up at 7am in order to get ready for our pick up at 8:30/9am and headed up to the top of Mt Batur (Kintamani area) getting there at around 10am. After some photo opportunities we head to the drop off area in one of the oldest villages of Bali, over 1000 years old, really impressive.

We head of through the village and are constantly presented with insightful information from the guide about the area, the local traditions, wildlife and vegetation… a real treat as we sample from various leaves and trees.

We cruise through the backend villages, rice paddies and back street paths and single track. The people are so special and friendly and the scenery is spectacular, as you’d expect in paradise.

After about 2 hours we cruise into the backend of the Elephant Park at Taro, what a way to finish the ride, you’ll remember our adventure from a few weeks ago at this fabulous facility.

After a few brilliant Elephant encounters we must have missed last time, we head into the spectacular restaurant for, I have to now confess to be the best spread I’ve seen on offer in Bali. No matter if you are vegetarian or not there is choice for all.

Ok, 2pm and we’re heading off to the starting point of the river rafting and after around 30minutes we pull in. These guys have top class facilities impressive no matter who you are. After getting kitted up we start our trek down to the Agung river dropping down around 100m and a few hundred steps. Not for the fait hearted… If you’ve had any experience of the Great Wall of China you’ll know what to expect, that’s all I’m saying.

We’re at the bottom and awaiting us is a fleet of boats already loaded with many other adventure seekers, and after a short safety and instructional demonstration we’re off down the river. Our guide only has 14 years experience doing this so we’re probably in safe hands… 

We have a really strong team on board and catch up to the others in a few minutes. Oh BTW this is the longest rafting experience you can get in Bali, all the other operators have far less time on the water, 2 hours on the water with our operator. We hit some great drop off’’s and rapids, some quite technical however the skipper is extremely well trained and versed in navigating anything that’s thrown at us. You can feel his love of the river and the people who join him on his adventure.

There are so many things he points out on the trip from the vegetation, cultural insights, some astonishing displays of local craftsmanship and natural beauty. We are able to stop a few times to take them in and experience them close up, and then we’re off again. After what feels like hours we pull up to the finishing point, and as quickly as you can say wooow, the 5 or 6 rafts are deflated and we’re un-kitted and taken up to the awaiting vehicles. From there we’re whisked off to a restaurant, changing rooms and bar where they already have photos and a running video of the afternoon in the water (very sneaky, they had videographers all the way down the river in strategic places capturing so much of the day’s events) love it, love it, love it!

Nothing like completing the day with a couple of beers with our team and reflecting on all the excitement of the day. Bring on another day in paradise.

Check out our facebook page to see some of the other cool adventures we are getting up to.

I give it:

Off the richter scale: 7 (as an indication to thrill seekers)
Value for money: 7 (around $150 for Adults for the entire day)
Scenery: 9 (OMG great scenery)
Cultural: 9 (Totally impressed with the level of education and inspiration from the guides)
Family: 7 (You got that right... A full on day out so maybe not for the very young)

Gili Islands - Paradise on a stick

If you'd have told me i wouldn't have believed you, I guess sometimes you just have to do something to really get it.

Who would have thought we that just a short trip from Bali lay islands that boast something  for everyone, and I really mean that.

They are called the Gili Islands and there are 3 of them. Depending what you are looking for and what you like you can get it here, but before I get to that let me share some of the standout and unique points we got just by being there for a few days.

No motorized vehicles, that's right, no cars, motorcycles or scooters! What you do get instead are bicycles and pony drawn carts. Seriously, we felt we'd gone back in time before Henry Ford, I every now and then expected to see a Penny farthing and people stepping out wearing top hats and 3 piece suits. Fortunately I didn't eat any of the local "magic mushrooms" or maybe I would have :-)

No dogs... This was bizarre given Bali is riddled with them, however I was happy given it made the evenings really quiet with the sound of an odd cat.

Cobblestone roads around the island we were on, Gili T for short, the biggest of the 3. You can cycle around it in a couple of hours, we'll far less if you wanted to as it's only 7km in diameter.

Island style living and in quaint bungalows is the go here, and there are more to choose from than you can imagine. For most times during the year I'd suggest you'd just show up and find one that suits you however at the top of the peak periods I'd book ahead just in case.

Clean, white and relatively deserted beaches right around the Island gives you the feeling that you could be on any of our planets most renowned tropical Islands. It certainly does have that kind of feel, just at Bali prices. Food is sensationally fresh and with just about eve choice you can think of from exotic pizza to freshly caught crayfish to scrumptious deep-fried egg plant and sour cream dip. You name it, it's here as is half of Europe...

There is a fabulous spread of entertainment, a 24 hr bar selling magic mushroom mixes, makeshift movie house playing local copies of DVDs where you lie on pillows and chill for the evening to live music, Reggae and all night boat parties.

For the avid adventure goer there are many options, I'll do my best to go through them.

The biggest has to be snorkeling and diving as there is plenty of coral reefs just off the beach on all 3 Islands. Beautiful turtles live in this area and they were the first large animal life we saw when we ventured out with our snorkeling gear just 10 meters from the beach, it was such a gift. The marine life is great, it's not the Great Barrier however it's right up there.

For the surfing enthusiasts there are some great waves to keep you occupied every day, and a groovy Rastafarian bar aptly called Surf Bar overlooking the best spot on the main Island.

There are big game fishing charters, surfing lessons, local daily runs to the adjoining 2 other Islands and if you're lucky like we were, and there is some big sports event on like the Rugby World Cup, there are "sports bars" like the Irish pub that set up big screens for the games and supporters seem to creep out of the wood work to join you for the games.

There is a turtle conservation and rehab centre that nurtures baby turtles to a level of adult hood in order to give them a better chance of survival in these all creatures infested waters... They have their breeding and nurturing ponds out in the open for everyone to see and visit.

Something that really stood out for me was the way that even though we didn't know anyone one the Island before we got there we had made many friends by the time we left if for no other reason that we just kept bumping into them literally 2 or more times a day as the main area of the island is only a few hundred meters in length so there is almost nowhere to hide unless you really want to and in that case you pack your goodies and head over to the 2 smaller and less inhabited islands, Gili Meno or Gili Air. More about them on our next trip as we decided we were loving Gili Trawangan (Gili T) too much. Oh, what I can say is that our honeymooning couple decided to do the more secluded option to Gili Meno and loved it... They have some beautiful photos they shared with us when getting back to Vision Villas.

Getting there and coming back can be an issue as there are many providers of boats... It is really important to get onto a boat that is safe, fast and reliable. We used Gili Cat as they are literally the best operator, thanks Gili Cat for getting us there and back in super fast time.

I give it:

Off the richter scale: 6 (Just so much to do, the options are almost endless, not big extreme adventures however many exciting ones)

Value for money: 10 (for a few hundred dollars, including stay, food, bike hire, gear etc.)

Scenery: 9  (An awesome surrounding)

Cultural: 7 (We connected with many locals as there isn't much place to go so they recognise you really quickly)

Family: 10 (The best would be Gili Meno or Air however they are all brilliant for families)

To note: It takes about 2 hours on the Gili Cat to get there or back from Padangbai and 4-6 hours if you take the ferry to Lombok and catch a local ferry to Gili.

Check out our facebook page to see some of the other cool adventures we are getting up to.

The Gentle Giants of Bali

Im kinda excited about today as Roz and I am off to see the legendary Elephant Safari Park here in Bali, created by Nigel Mason and home to the largest herd of rescued Sumatra elephants in the world.

We plan to leave at 10am and the trip takes us over an hour from Vision Villas. Instantly we start driving into the facility we get a sense of what's been created here, the reception area is spectacular! We connect with a park guide and he takes us through to the main arena.

I'm kinda overwhelmed by the facilities as I can feel what this has taken to build and know a little bit about the history and the effort it took to get these animals here and out of harms way I also feel the passion and love for these creatures.

We're introduced to the Park manager and she is just as passionate about what they are doing as everyone else we meet. We get to do a few things that clearly are not on the standard program and have the most sensational experience with one of the baby elephants. I'm amazed by how smart and well trained they are, even at just a couple of years they know how to interact with us, and play too mind you.

We are then lead to an area to interact and feeding the giants, it is just extraordinary how safe I feel around them and with all the little children running around, feeding and playing with them, their trunks are so aware of whats going on and who they are interacting with. They are really intelligent and we have a ball playing with them, this is something else.

Now it's our turn to get up on our own graceful creature. Her name is Roxy, and she is stunning. The elephant guide has been here 12 years and he previously was in Sumatra for 12 years working with them, he clearly has a passion for these animals too. We go for a beautiful walk around the grounds and end up finishing in the massive bathing pool. Wow, I didn't expect to go that deep, we're just about swimming. What a magical experience, and how grateful are Roz and I to have come to this hideaway sanctuary in the heart of Bali.

This is a must see adventure, the facilities are stunning, the staff are caring and loving, and the elephants are unforgettable. We're looking forward to spending a full day here next time.

I give it:

Off the richter scale: 3 (It was exciting for me to be this close up)

Value for money: 10 ($40 access to the park)

Scenery: 9  (These facilities are world-class and are an amazing spectacle)

Cultural: 5 (We connected with many locals running the park and really got to know them)

Family: 10 (You bet ya, it would be better if they like animals)

To note: It takes about 2 hours if you are traveling from areas like Kuta to get here so you need to start early and expect to leave late. Their restaurant is fabulous so staying for the day is easy.

What else: The group also run, if not the best river rafting and mountain biking tours in Bali, you can package a full day out and get a lot of these things all done in one outing.

Check out our facebook page to see some of the other cool adventures we are getting up to.

Natural healing water from mother earth

An afternoon submersed in a natural hot water spring

Leaving Vision Villas at 10:30am, 12 of us head to the Kintamani area to explore and experience the renowned healing from the natural hot springs found on the western bank of the lake in the crater of Mount Batur.

We visit the Toya Devasya resort as our initial stop with the crew and instantly we get there we know this water is something special. This is a commercial operation so the pools they have built look very resort style however the water is definitely chemical free and mineral rich.

It's so soft on the skin and in moments your hair feels like a babies hair, your body feels like it’s at one with the water and at some stage I loose the ability to differentiate where my body ends and the water begins.

In the hot pools the water comes out of the fountains at 42deg centigrade, mmm it’s so warm and soothing. If we had shampoo I recon we’d be great models for TV ad…

Then jumping into the larger cold pool, to be honest it’s really not cold, however it’s cooler than 42 deg. Oh yes, they have a poolside bar, my favorite! A couple of “naturally brewed” or maybe not, Bintangs floating in the pool and I’m in heaven… Now completely healed ;-)

There are also options to take your healing to the next level and book in a massage, lay around the pool and order beautiful juices and essentially make what is a fabulously relaxing outing even better. Of course you can also eat at the resort, very reasonable and spend your entire day there, and I guess it's plausible to stay overnight and explore the area even more, with cycling, boating across the lake, trekking/hiking and many other tours available to you literally all day. 

We head on back and decide to pop into the locals hot springs to check it out… It looks like a good option for next time, the pools are definitely more natural and the set up is clearly more Bali local style, for our next outing I suspect. Oh yes… no pool bar, bugga.

Back to the craters edge for lunch at one of the overhanging restaurants, OMG, the view is stunning from up here. All you can eat buffet, mmm, this looks like something I can sink my teeth into, and a lot of Balinese style cooking too, this is going to be scrumptious, and guess what, it is. Not sure about the desert, maybe leave to the locals, some cut up fruit will do me and a cleansing ale and I’m done… Slap me on the butt and send me home.

I give it:

Off the richter scale: 1 (as an indication to thrill seekers)

Value for money: 10 ($40 each for the lot)

Scenery: 9  (The view from the crater rim is breathtaking and the lake is awesome)

Cultural: 3 (We did get to connect with some of the locals at their hot springs)

Family: 8 (Absolutely, especially if they like swimming)

Avoid: This area has many street merchants on foot who want to sell you everything under the sun, all you say is no and keep walking. If you have a good driver he'll protect you as much as he can from them.

Check out our facebook page to see some of the other cool adventures we are getting up to.

A tube and some deep canyons – I give you Canyon Tubing BALI

Left Vision Villas at around 9:30am, Tyler, myself and Roz for an adventure we all had very little knowledge of besides a few comments from guests saying it was real good fun.

About an hour drive, some Indonesian revision and a game of chess on the iphone and we’re there. It’s operated by the same guys who do the Quad biking so we are instantly recognized by the staff, they are full of fun and nonsense, I like it…

We’re kitted up and head to the drop off point in a 1980’s Land Rover, amazing it still goes. There are a few surprises but I’ll leave those for you to find when you do it.

Ok, 10 minutes later and we are at the canyon start, it looks amazing, we’ve dropped down deep into a gauge and we are  looking down at a sensational river deep down in the walls, it’s kinda spooky and tranquil at the same time.

Splash and we’re in, oh… it’s a little nippy, glad I brought my anti-chafe top.

Roz is off first and we’re hot on her heels. I must have a dud tube, Tyler’s seems much faster than mine, bugga!

We hit the first stop, yeah Fox Flying, this looks like a ride. We buckle up and go plummeting down the wire, wow we pick up some good pace, what a ride, let me at that again, hope the photos came out well.

Back in the tubes and we’re off for the next section, cool drop off and rapids, the guides are so well organized and are protecting us at each semi dangerous part. Our tourist friend is having problems staying in his tube over the drops, I know Roz captured that one, he’s a laugh.

That was kinda scary especially when you go backwards down the rapids and drops, enough to get the heart pumping and some adrenalin flowing, it’s a blast. Now we’re jumping into the tubes and surfing the rapids, it’s so much fun.

Down to the last stretch, and 20 minutes of just lying back in the tube and enjoying the phenomenal surrounds and picture perfect overhanging trees, 20-30 meters above us…. Stunning, relaxing and revitalizing.... You've go to do it...

Check out our facebook page to see some of the other cool adventures we are getting up to.


I give it:

Off the richter scale: 7 (as an indication to thrill seekers)
Value for money: 5 ($150 for Adults and $110 for children)
Scenery: 7
Cultural: 2 (We went through some amazing scenic places however didn't really connect with the locals other than the tour guides and supporters)
Family: 8 (Absolutely, especially if you want to get some wonderful photo's and things to tell your friends at home about your holiday)